World of Warcrafthttp://www.maclife.com/taxonomy/term/823/all
enBlizzard's 'Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft' Starts iPad Rollouthttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/blizzards_hearthstone_heroes_warcraft_starts_ipad_rollout
<!--paging_filter--><p>Blizzard Entertainment's digital collectible card game Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft is starting to make its way to the iPad as of today, although it's currently only available in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. That could change, though, as the night goes on. Designed by the makers of popular games like World of Warcraft and Diablo III, Hearthstone presents a fun, free-to-play take on the genre probably best known for Magic: The Gathering and, in true Blizzard fashion, it makes it easily accessible for the most novice of players.</p><p>"Hearthstone's player base has already grown to more than 10 million registered accounts following the official Windows and Mac release, but we saw that a few people online were holding out for the iPad version," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "Instead of calling those folks up individually, we figured we might as well let everyone know that the global iPad rollout for Hearthstone has begun, and pretty soon it'll be available everywhere. The game is a natural fit for tablets—we encourage everyone to check it out on their couch, in their backyard, in a coffee shop . . . or anywhere else they take their iPads."</p><p><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/jyVIsEgk68Q" width="620" height="349" frameborder="0"></iframe></p><p>Hearthstone may have first appeared on the Mac and PC, but it comes into its own on an iPad. I had the chance to play an early version on an iPad back during BlizzCon last autumn, and even then I marveled at how well Blizzard translated the mouse clicks and movements of the Mac into gestures for Apple's tablet. Like most games in its genre, Hearthstone sees you battling both computer-controlled and live opponents, whittling down the opposing hero's health points with stats from cards in your deck.</p><p>Blizzard took the concept and made something surprisingly enjoyable out of it, and it decorated the whole project with the voices and visual trappings of its loved Warcraft series. Packs of new cards start at $1.99, but Blizzard has designed the game so you'll never need to spend a cent if you don't want to. By and large, it's free-to-play done right.</p><p>Look for it on the iPad store in the coming days. If you have a iPhone, you'll have to wait.</p><p><em>Follow this article's writer,<a href="https://twitter.com/LeifJohnson" target="_blank">&nbsp;Leif Johnson</a>, on Twitter.</em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/blizzards_hearthstone_heroes_warcraft_starts_ipad_rollout#commentsNewsBlizzardcollectible card gamegamesiOS 7iPadWorld of WarcraftThu, 03 Apr 2014 00:26:41 +0000Leif Johnson19675 at http://www.maclife.comWorld of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria Reviewhttp://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/world_warcraft_mists_pandaria_review
<!--paging_filter--><p>As soon as Blizzard announced the latest expansion to its iconic, massively multiplayer online game, I shut down my account. <em>World of Warcraft’s</em> grinding quests had grown tired well before the <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/world_warcraft_cataclysm_review"><em>Cataclysm</em></a> expansion, but the mere thought of rolling a new character with all the hokey charm of a Jack Black–voiced animated feature was just too much. Regardless, after months of ignoring a game that used to occupy ludicrous amounts of my time, I relented. And despite some persistent issues, <em>World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria</em> offers just enough innovation to draw a cynical player back from the void.</p><p>If you’re the type of fantasy role-playing gamer more accustomed to orcs and fearless paladins, sliding into the role of an anthropomorphic panda bear is admittedly difficult. But Blizzard has done a fantastic job of creating an engaging story around the Pandaren race. And the new, Asian-inspired continent, with its detailed shrines and stoic monks, may be some of Blizzard’s best work.</p><p><img src="/files/u330237/2012/11/wowpandaria-screen1_620.png" /></p><p>But almost as soon as you’re drawn into this conflicted narrative and forced to take sides — Pandaren characters can align with Horde or Alliance — <em>World of Warcraft’s</em> quest system starts to drag. <em>Mists of Pandaria</em> is a marked improvement over the original pyramid-shaped quest setup, but it’s still so much back-and-forth.</p><p>Thankfully, <em>Pandaria</em> also adds a new class, the Monk. The typical, replenishable magic/rage bars are replaced with a chi gauge, and the fluid, brisk combat is a nice breath of fresh air. While the “battle mage” type build isn’t necessarily unique to <em>World of Warcraft</em>, there’s something immediately refreshing to this class. As much as it’s awkward to admit, the panda theme actually works, in that sense. New player-versus-player arenas also add variety, while the higher level cap affords new experiences for all classes. And if I’m being honest, the old tingle — that impulse to ignore my real-world life — is rearing its ugly head.</p><p><strong>The bottom line. </strong>Much as I’m lightly ashamed by the cartoon panda bears at its core, <em>Mists of Pandaria’s</em> narrative and combat are solid reasons to head back to Azeroth.</p><fieldset class="fieldgroup group-the-bottom-line"><legend>Review Synopsis</legend><div class="field field-type-text field-field-product">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Product:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
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<!--paging_filter--><p>World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria</p> </div>
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<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Company:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
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Blizzard </div>
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<div class="field field-type-text field-field-contact">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Contact:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
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<!--paging_filter--><p>http://www.battle.net</p> </div>
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<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Price:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
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$40 plus monthly subscription fee (about $15) </div>
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<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Requirements:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
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<!--paging_filter--><p>OS X 10.7.3 or later, Intel Core 2 Duo Processor, 2GB RAM, 256MB VRAM</p> </div>
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<div class="field field-type-text field-field-positives">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Positives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
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<!--paging_filter--><p>Speedy, fluid Monk class. Deep, thoughtful storyline. Great atmosphere.</p> </div>
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<div class="field field-type-text field-field-negatives">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Negatives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
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<!--paging_filter--><p>Quest system is still a grind. You’re playing as a panda.&nbsp;</p> </div>
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</fieldset>
http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/world_warcraft_mists_pandaria_review#commentsReviewsBlizzardfantasyGamesMMOMMORPGrole-playingrpgSoftwareWorld of WarcraftWorld of Warcraft: Mists of PandariaMacGamesFri, 30 Nov 2012 19:00:00 +0000Matt Clark15693 at http://www.maclife.comWorld of Warcraft Hacker Kills Thousands with Exploithttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/world_warcraft_hacker_kills_thousands_exploit
<!--paging_filter--><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u323900/wow_slaughter.png" alt="WoW Slaughter" /></p><p>A giant sea of corpses; what a fitting image for the Halloween season. But for a large number of World of Warcraft players, the sudden demise of throngs of characters was less than amusing. According to Blizzard, someone discovered an exploit which allowed insta-deaths in some of the game's biggest cities for a period of time.</p><p>According to <a href="http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/6794031758?page=1" target="_blank">Blizzard community manager Nethaera</a>, the exploit allowed the perpetrator -- or perpetrators -- to immediately drop all the player and non-player characters in an area to the ground.</p><p>YouTube user <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb-1FpPpBRI" target="_blank">JaddMMOwned</a> claims to have originally found the exploit with two other users, posting an initial video that shows major World of Warcraft bosses being defeated with ease. But Blizzard banned the first account using the hack a mere 30 minutes after its first use. Eventually, the secret was passed along to other players, and -- well, you can figure out what happened next.</p><p>Apparently, the online slaughter went on for a number of hours, with skeletons covering the ground in major in-game cities before Blizzard finally stopped what some players were referring to as "The Rapture." <a href="http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/10/07/reports-entire-cities-dead-on-certain-realms/" target="_blank">Joystiq</a> noted reports of the insta-deaths trickling in over the weekend.</p><object width="620" height="349"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/B_vCFKuXrQo?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="620" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/B_vCFKuXrQo?version=3&amp;hl=en_US" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object><p>Beyond the obvious annoyance of seeing your character drop dead, the exploit didn't hold any type of permanence. Affected players only had to re-spawn their character. In fact, some members of the community even found the affair to be humorous.</p><p>"Bravo. It was funny for a second, but I'm glad it's been fixed," <a href="http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/6794031758?page=1#2" target="_blank">said one commenter</a>.</p><p>Posting on the Ownedcore forums, Jadd claimed the mass-killing wasn't that big of a deal, stating, "It's not like I added 2000000 gold to everyone's inventory, and broke the economy."</p><p>As you might imagine, Blizzard doesn't find the situation quite as amusing. The company has asked the community for information about the incident.&nbsp;</p><p>"As with any exploit, we are taking this disruptive action very seriously and conducting a thorough investigation," said a Blizzard rep. "If you have information relating to this incident, please email hacks@blizzard.com. We apologize for the inconvenience some of you experienced as a result of this and appreciate your understanding."</p><p>Blizzard has since fixed the exploit.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><em>Follow this article's author, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/clarkmatt" target="_blank">Matt Clark on Twitter</a>.</em></p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/world_warcraft_hacker_kills_thousands_exploit#commentsNewsBlizzardinsta-kill hackWorld of WarcraftMon, 08 Oct 2012 23:00:19 +0000Matt Clark15264 at http://www.maclife.comThe Week's 10 Hottest Apple News Stories, October 28http://www.maclife.com/article/gallery/weeks_10_hottest_apple_news_stories_october_28
<!--paging_filter-->http://www.maclife.com/article/gallery/weeks_10_hottest_apple_news_stories_october_28#commentsGalleryNewsApple TVBlizzConBlizzcon 2011DiabloDiablo 3Diablo IIIHeart of the SwarmiPad 3iphone 5Law & AppleLTEmacbook proMists of Pandariapandariaprocessorsretina displaySamsungslide to unlockStarcraftstarcraft 2starcraft IISteve Jobssteve jobs biographyWorld of Warcraftworld of warcraft pandariawowSat, 29 Oct 2011 00:20:00 +0000J Keirn-Swanson12733 at http://www.maclife.comEverything You Need to Know About World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandariahttp://www.maclife.com/article/games/everything_you_need_know_about_world_warcraft_mists_pandaria
<!--paging_filter--><p>What's there to say? As you've probably heard by now, Blizzard has officially announced its World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria expansion pack, the company's long-standing meme of pandas and panda people becoming concrete as you'll be able to create an anthropomorphic Pandaren warrior to train and send out into the world to join either the Horde or Alliance factions as they see fit.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u297418/mop_0.jpg" width="580" height="362" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Train your own Pandaren monk warrior in the World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria expansion pack.</strong></p><p style="text-align: left;">The expansion, which incorporates an ancient Asian feel in its look and art style, will also allow players to use the long-awaited Monk class, thereby crafting the martial arts-based melee warrior of their choice. Other major additions and changes include the following:<br /><br />- <strong>Scenario Queue Finder:</strong> Like the Dungeon Finder seen in current versions of World of Warcraft, the scenario finder will allow users to find scenarios to jump into, thus alleviating the time spent looking for others to play with.<br /><br />- <strong>Increased Level Cap:</strong> Once again, Blizzard has offered additional levels to work towards, this time raising the level cap from 85 to 90 and offering new spells, talents and rewards along the way. Developers also stated that there will be additional incentives for dungeon and raid players to push them to do more everyday quests and that there will be more quest choices in the process. <br /><br />- <strong>Challenge Mode:</strong> Essentially, these are time trial dungeons wherein a player's equipment is scaled down and normalized. Long story short, everyone's on a more equal footing here and skill will become more important that gear as players vie for valor points.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u297418/wowpetbattles.jpg" width="570" height="300" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Send your pets into the fray to battle for honor, glory, upgrades and experience points with the forthcoming World of Warcraft Pet Battle System.</strong></p><p style="text-align: left;">- <strong>Pet Battle System:</strong> Perhaps taking a cue from Pokemon, Blizzard is working on a pet battle system in which players will be able to collect, level and battle each other's pets. The mode will be accessible to all players, work with almost every pet and new pets can be located, tamed, named and sent into battle. A Pet Journal feature will allow players to managed their pets, pets will also be tradable via the in-game auction house and the pets will be available on an account-wide basis (meaning that if one of your characters has located a dozen pets, these can be shared with another character you may have on a different server). The battles themselves will be turn-based combat, players will fight with a team of three pets at any given time and Master Abilities will be available for your pets. At this point, Blizzard has yet to say if any specific rewards will come out of the Pet Battle system (such as your character receiving a small stamina boost for a given period of time, etc.), but there are bragging rights to be considered and that goes a long way to making something entertaining…<br /><br />- <strong>Dungeons:</strong> The Mists of Pandaria expansion will feature nine new dungeons, six of these being located across Pandaria itself. The game will also feature heroic updates on classic dungeons, making an old dungeon that much more challenging and fun even if you conquered it years ago.<br /><br />- <strong>Raids:</strong> The expansion will feature three new epic raids as well as two new enemy races (the morgue and the manta) as well as a brand new Raid Finder capable of finding both normal and heroic raids to play on. <br /><br />- <strong>No Flying Until Max Level:</strong> This comes in the wake of a fair amount of feedback and Blizzard took them up on it. If you're not max level and have a flying mount, this could go the way of the dodo and it'll be something you'll have to earn after the Mists of Pandaria pack is released.<br /><br />- <strong>Achievements:</strong> Following the expansion, the game will feature account-wide achievements, thereby allowing all of your characters to share in the achievements you've earned and the bonuses they offer.</p><h3>Other Changes Following the Mists of Pandaria Expansion</h3><p>You can also look forward to the following changes in the new World of Warcraft expansion:<strong><br /></strong></p><p style="text-align: left;">- Resilience will be improved per level.<br /><br />- The Hunter weapon's minimum range is gone, thereby allowing your ranged weapon to be used at close distances if needed.<br /><br />- The Hunter melee weapon is gone, making your ranged weapon your sole weapon.<br /><br />- The Relic system, which Blizzard employees cited was never widely used, will be removed from the game.<br /><br />- Rogue and Warrior characters will be able to throw their melee weapons for ranged attacks.<br /><br />- Wands can become melee weapons.<br /><br />- Characters will automatically learn new spells upon reaching a new level.<br /><br />- The talent tree is being modified to be easier and less cumbersome to use.<br /><br />- Every race with the exception of the Goblins and the Worgen will be able to create a Monk character. When asked, developers cited that this was to allow players to become more accustomed to these races, as they were still the newest in the World of Warcraft catalog.<br /><br />- As of now, the Monk will not be able to use ranged weapons. Instead, the character will use fist-based weapons, melee weapons and can serve any role within a party that's needed (tank, healer, etc.)<br /><br />- The Pandaren race will have a Crowd Control ability that can put enemies to sleep as well as receive an ample number of boosts from food and drink. The race will also feature an Inner Peace bonus, allowing your resting bonus to last longer.<br /><br />- Players taking on the role of a Pandaren character will begin the game on the Wandering Isle, train up to level 10 and can then choose to be part of either the Horde or the Alliance faction. From a graphical perspective, there will be no change to the character's appearance depending on the faction they choose, though their armor will appear different depending on their choice.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">World of Warcraft Annual Pass</h3><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u297418/wowpass.jpg" width="530" height="310" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>The World of Warcraft Annual Pass: now chock-full of goodies for a limited time.</strong></p><p style="text-align: left;">In other news, at one of the most well-received moments of the BlizzCon 2011 keynote, Blizzard Entertainment has announced the creation of the <a href="http://us.media.blizzard.com/wow/promotion/wap/en-us.html" target="_blank">World of Warcraft annual pass</a>, available for a limited time, which allows players to sign up for a 12 month subscription (payable in a lump sum or in monthly installments charged to your credit or debit card). Since rewards are important, the company also stated that participants will reveive a free copy of Diablo III once it goes on sale, access to the Mists of Pandaria expansion pack beta test, and the exclusive Tyreal's Charger mount.</p><p style="text-align: left;">To participate, users must be 18 or older, have a valid credit card, and have registered a full version of World of Warcraft on or before October 18, 2011.<br /><br />Upon signing up, users will be able to download and play Diablo III as soon as it's available and once you complete the one-year term, it's yours to keep, even if you cancel your subscription. Tyrael's Charger will be available with Patch 4.3, and beta access will go live with the beta launch.</p><p style="text-align: left;">In the event that the user purchases the Diablo III Collector's Edition once it becomes available, they can add the Collector's Edition license key to their Battle.net account associated with your existing World of Warcraft Annual Pass promotion and receive all of the benefits associated with the Collector's Edition, plus receive four months of World of Warcraft game time which is eligible towards their 12-month subscription commitment.</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/games/everything_you_need_know_about_world_warcraft_mists_pandaria#commentsNewsBlizzardBlizzcon 2011Mists of PandariaWorld of WarcraftGamesTue, 25 Oct 2011 21:14:42 +0000Chris Barylick12710 at http://www.maclife.comBlizzard May Be Interested in iPhone Developmenthttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/blizzard_may_be_interested_iphone_development
<!--paging_filter--><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="/files/u310631/lost_vikings2.jpg" alt="Lost Vikings" width="512" height="384" /></p><p>The idea of World of Warcraft coming to iOS has been a mythical rumor since the first iPhone hit the first palm of the first user. Years have gone by since that time without a peep out of Blizzard about any sort of iOS development. Today however, we at least got a hint from an inside source that <a href="http://wireless.ign.com/articles/117/1178430p1.html" target="_blank">Blizzard could get into iOS development</a> at some point.</p><p>Greg Street, lead systems designer at Blizzard said, "Everyone I know here has an iPhone or an iPad so we're huge fans of the hardware. If we could make the right game changes to make that work, it's something we'd be interested in. It's not something you're going to see in the next week or two, but it's the kind of thing we're always looking at."&nbsp;</p><p>It's not much, but heck, we're going to run wild with it. Let the speculation and getting-up-of-hopes begin! Which Blizzard franchise would you most like to come to the iPhone or iPad? StarCraft? Nah, StarCraft requires too precise of controls. Blizzard would never let their legendary StarCraft brand suffer with a less-than-perfect mobile port. Not after they spent 10 years honing StarCraft 2 before release.</p><p>It seems impossible for World of Warcraft to ever make a jump to mobile given the complexity of the game. MMOs can be made for mobile systems, but it's borderline impossible to dumb down WoW's controls enough to fit on a mobile screen. Diablo on the other hand is simple enough to be a candidate.</p><p>By far the most likely of all their games though is Lost Vikings, an old-school puzzle platformer that would fit perfectly on iOS. Blizzard has been talking about a revival of that franchise for years, and the iPhone would be a perfect retirement home for this past-its-prime senior.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/blizzard_may_be_interested_iphone_development#commentsNewsBlizzardDiabloiOSiPadiphoneLost VikingsStarcraftWorld of WarcraftiPadiPhoneiPodGamesThu, 23 Jun 2011 20:43:03 +0000Andrew Groen11478 at http://www.maclife.comGame Time: My Life as a Seven-Foot Elf Warriorhttp://www.maclife.com/article/columns/game_time_my_life_sevenfoot_elf_warrior
<!--paging_filter--><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/Online/gametime/pose-opener-woo.jpg" width="620" height="271" /></p><p>I’ve never been big into MMOs. I don’t want to pay a subscription and the hanging carrot gameplay and ominous warnings from friends (“promise me you’ll never play an MMO”) made them sound less than appealing. So when I heard Gameloft was making a World of Warcraft spinoff (which you can get&nbsp;<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/order-chaos-online/id414664715?mt=8">here</a>), I didn’t really care. <br /><br />My only previous experience with MMOs was a <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/warhammer_online_age_reckoning" target="_blank">long time ago</a>. While I loved it, I had since parted ways with the huge world and didn’t intend on returning. But then I read about how Order and Chaos had made like a trillion dollars in <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/news/gamelofts_ios_mmo_order_and_chaos_makes_1_million_first_month" target="_blank">four seconds</a>, and I knew what had to be done.<br /><br />I had to go back.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/Online/gametime/ready-for-battle.jpg" width="620" height="413" /></p><h3>Day 1: There’s a seven-foot Dark Elf in all of us</h3><p>Not literally, thank God. But after a few minutes of pondering the races (the Skeletal Undead, <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">fat martians</span> Ogres, Humans, and Elves) the choice was clear. I would make the baddest of all elves. With blue skin.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/Online/gametime/the-race.jpg" width="620" height="413" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>But first I had to try out different color combinations. Green with red hair was a little too “Christmas Elf.” </strong></p><p>The name “Legolas” was taken and “Wizardly Smith” wouldn’t fit, so I went to my fallback – NicFoSho – and began my journey.<br /><br />But instantly, I was taken aback with what I saw… Elves ran rampant like human babies at a Baby Gap. Everyone was playing as the Elves. Some had fashionable armor and glowing swords. I was wearing a potato sack. I had a lot of work ahead of me.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/Online/gametime/clone.jpg" width="620" height="413" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Some were even wearing the same potato sack as me...</strong></p><h3>Day 2: Fight lots of boars</h3><p>As is tradition in every good MMO, I spent the first few hours fighting Wild Hogs. They weren’t much of a challenge, but the bacon wasn’t going to make itself.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/Online/gametime/boar-fight.jpg" width="620" height="413" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Too bad I wasn’t fighting the John Travolta movies.<br /></strong></p><h3>Day 6: Oh, there are quests</h3><p>I hadn’t gained many levels in this time, so I decided to reevaluate my play style. That’s when I found out about quests. Obvious, right?<br />I took so many quests I made my Elvish head spin. I was doing everything for everyone. I was the errand boy for the entire universe.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/Online/gametime/all-that-bronze.jpg" width="620" height="413" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Between quests I collected Bronze. Quite the fun life I had.</strong></p><h3>Day 9: Destroy my social life</h3><p>No, not my real one. That one was long gone. In my attempts to level up faster, I pleaded with my online friends, the NPC shop keepers, even strangers. Life had lost its luster. Not even mining for bronze seemed fun any more. My guild (fittingly named “EXILE”) kicked me out. Everyone just laughed at my desperate pleads for more gold.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/Online/gametime/plead.jpg" width="620" height="465" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Nobody took me seriously. Nobody would pay attention to me. Where were my friends?!</strong></p><h3>Day 12: Here come the in-app purchases</h3><p>After slaying a few thousand Forest Boars I had finally accumulated enough money and experience to wear some cool armor. I strutted around town with my tough leather outfit and <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">cute</span>&nbsp;manly boots. I took snapshots everywhere and had an awesome modeling experience. Took this totally wicked picture of my Elf posed. No biggie.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/Online/gametime/pose-2.jpg" width="620" height="465" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Yeah, it’s cool. I know.</strong></p><p>But I realize some people have even cooler pictures, and I can’t handle that. I'm taking a mortgage out on my real-life house so I can buy a new shield. If you think you have an even better picture of your character in Order and Chaos, upload it <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/1535597@N20/" target="_blank">here</a>. The coolest character will get a loud shout-out in next week’s Game Time and who knows, maybe I’ll throw you some in-game bacon. <br /><br />So that’s how I managed to become completely addicted to Order and Chaos. Maybe I’ll update it in weeks coming, but it’s really more likely you’ll never hear from me again. I’ll be in Order and Chaos, expensing in-app purchases so fast, it’ll make the creators of Smurfberries blush.<br /><br />To read worthless commentary on just about anything, you can follow me&nbsp;<a href="http://twitter.com/#!/nicvargus" target="_blank">on twitter</a>.</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/columns/game_time_my_life_sevenfoot_elf_warrior#commentsColumnsGame TimeGameloftgametimeios game timeios gametimeOrder and ChaosOrder and Chaos OnlineWorld of WarcraftiPadiPhoneGamesThu, 09 Jun 2011 21:30:00 +0000Nic Vargus11283 at http://www.maclife.comOrder and Chaos Online Now Available in Canada, Offers 3 Months of Free Subscriptionhttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/order_and_chaos_online_now_available_canada_offers_3_months_free_subscription
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u310631/order_big_0.jpg" alt="Order and Chaos" width="500" height="339" /></p><p>Gameloft has been receiving a ton of flak for its highly ambitious upcoming MMORPG called Order and Chaos Online. However, today Gameloft has announced that they are forging ahead and have <a href="http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Various/Order+%26+Chaos+Online/news.asp?c=29408" target="_blank">released the new iOS game</a>, but only in Canada. Moreover, the game comes standard with three free months of play time for 99 cents.</p><p>After the free trial period is over the subscription rate will run at 99 cents per month, or $1.99 for three months, or $2.99 for six months. Order and Chaos is a big question mark right now since its business model is so different from anything else that's been released. Very few games have ever attempted the subscription model on iOS. Most tend to opt for the Free to Play style with in-app purchases.</p><p>The game has been highly criticized for its <a href="http://www.maclife.com/article/news/gamelofts_new_mmo_looks_lot_world_warcraft" target="_blank">striking resemblance</a> to the extremely popular online massively multiplayer PC and Mac game <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_of_Warcraft" target="_blank">World of Warcraft</a>. Although, at this point the similarities seem to be merely cosmetic. It's hard to imagine an iOS game replicating the gameplay of a game that uses a full QWERTY keyboard. That's not to say one is better than the other, but simply that the two control styles render mimicry borderline impossible.</p><p>Plus, there's a lot to love about World of Warcraft. There's a reason so many millions of people play it. It's a very high quality game. So perhaps mimicry is a smart and justified design move.</p><p>There's no word yet on when Order and Chaos Online will release in our very own United States App Store, but we'll be sure to update this story if it comes out soon.</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/order_and_chaos_online_now_available_canada_offers_3_months_free_subscription#commentsNewsAppLifeGameloftiOSMMONew and NoteworthyOrder and Chaos OnlineWorld of WarcraftiPadiPhoneiPodGamesTue, 26 Apr 2011 18:50:39 +0000Andrew Groen10774 at http://www.maclife.comGameloft's New MMO Looks a Lot Like World of Warcrafthttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/gamelofts_new_mmo_looks_lot_world_warcraft
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u310631/orderandchaos.jpg" alt="Order and Chaos" width="412" height="232" /></p><p>Gameloft has made a lot of money for themselves by - shall we say - taking inspiration from other classic video games. For a while most iOS gamers were willing to accept this for a variety of reasons. For one, "inspiration" and even outright copying has been around since the earliest days of video gaming. Many were also just thrilled to have near-copies of their favorite games on their iProducts. Gameloft's new MMO Order and Chaos <a href="http://toucharcade.com/2011/03/17/gameloft-releases-order-chaos-online-teaser-cloning-starcraft-wasnt-enough-moving-on-to-world-of-warcraft/" target="_blank">may be too much</a> for some gamers to stomach though.</p><p>They've got a large back catalogue of clones already. Modern Combat [<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/modern-combat-sandstorm/id329373748?mt=8" target="_blank">iTunes Link</a>] is a thinly veiled copy of Modern Warfare, N.O.V.A. is very like Halo, the newly announced Starfront: Collision [<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/n-o-v-a-near-orbit-vanguard/id343596730?mt=8" target="_blank">iTunes Link</a>] is like Starcraft, and Hero of Sparta [<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hero-of-sparta/id299093633?mt=8" target="_blank">iTunes Link</a>] is dead ringer for God of War. Given all of that history, and the amount of money we've spent supporting it, it's hard to criticize Gameloft here. The new video below introduces us to Order and Chaos.</p><p>It's easy to jump on Gameloft and say they're ripping off Blizzard. However, let's not forget that Blizzard's two most famous series - Starcraft and Warcraft - have both been highly criticized since their inception for taking too much inspiration from the Warhammer series of tabletop games. Going back even further, it's easy to imagine Warhammer's fantasy game being criticized for borrowing too much from Tolkein-esque fantasy. Where does the blame game end?</p><p>We'll have to wait and see how much Order and Chaos cribs from WoW. It may very well just be a visual correlation. After all, it's hard to imagine Gameloft borrowing the game's actual mechanics given that one uses a small touch screen, while the other has a full QWERTY keyboard. <object style="height: 390px; width: 620px;"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ql-iu98XGds?version=3" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="620" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ql-iu98XGds?version=3" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always"></embed></object></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/gamelofts_new_mmo_looks_lot_world_warcraft#commentsNewsapp store gamesGameloftHero of SpartaiOSiphoneiPod touchModern CombatNOVAStarfront CollisionWorld of WarcraftiPhoneiPodGamesMon, 21 Mar 2011 16:14:27 +0000Andrew Groen10375 at http://www.maclife.comWorld of Warcraft: How To Conquer Azeroth in the Cataclysm Expansion Packhttp://www.maclife.com/article/features/world_warcraft_how_conquer_azeroth_cataclysm_expansion_pack
<!--paging_filter--><p>World of Warcraft: Cataclysm is out, the world of Azeroth has been violently remodeled by a rather large dragon named Deathwing and, like it or not, this is going to make a World of Warcraft fan out of you or suck you back in style if it’s been a while since you played the game. After four months of beta and review play, here’s are some tips and tricks we're imparting on you, Azeroth journeyman (or woman!).</p><p><img src="/files/u307916/2011/Online/cataclysm/charactercreation.jpg" width="620" height="387" /></p><h3>It’s Fun to Start Over Again</h3><p>If you’re returning to the game after a break, there's new content, two new playable races, revised storylines and a pretty-much-redefined continent of Azeroth. Beyond the new cinematics and storylines for the Worgen and Goblin starting quests, Blizzard’s gone out of its way to include new starting zones and quests for familiar races. Yes, you’ll have to run out and slaughter ten nearby boars wandering around the village for your first mission at level one, or run 500 feet to talk to a person marked on the map, but Blizzard has changed this up and is working to tell a more involved story in the process, even during the tutorial missions.</p><p>Also remember that the Cataclysm expansion pack allows for characters to be created in professions that were previously unavailable to them; Tauren can now be Paladins, Gnomes can now be Priests, and the Undead can now be Hunters. Take the time to look into this, see what you like, and play with it, as this can be combined with a race’s natural advantages and used in interesting ways. You never know when a Gnome priest could make all the difference, so take a crack at it during character creation and see how things go.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/Online/cataclysm/missiontracking.jpg" width="620" height="465" /></p><h3>Tracking Missions Just Became Easier</h3><p>As much fun as quests were in previous years of World of Warcraft, there was sometimes the feeling that you’d bitten off more than you could chew with a given quest. Yes, you could go back to the quest log and see where you were supposed to go or what you were supposed to do, but this could fall into the background as other quests came up, or if you weren’t sure which area to head to in order to fulfill a quest’s requirements. Thankfully, this has changed in Cataclysm, which allows for much-improved quest tracking as well as the ability to cash in quests from the road as opposed to having to run back to their origin point to complete them. Players can take advantage of this and check the clearly marked waypoints on the map as to where they’re supposed to go during a quests as well as what the goals are.&nbsp;</p><p>No, this isn’t the most exciting in the world, but it makes quests easier to track, easier to finish and keeps the game interesting, even if you’re just grinding your way to the next level…</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/Online/cataclysm/dungeonshot.jpg" width="620" height="496" /></p><h3>Dungeons: Everyone’s Friend</h3><p>Let’s face it, there’s only so much fun solo play will ever be in World of Warcraft, and even if you’re on a fairly interesting quest, you’re still grinding alone. Beyond level ten, it’s time to use the Dungeon Feature, which was added via a software update after the Wrath of the Lich King expansion pack to point locate a dungeon you wanted to take on, assign yourself a role for the group (such as tank, healer, magic user, etc.) and let the Dungeon Finder engine assign you a place in the queue and take care of what in past years would have been 45 minutes of asking people if they wanted to group up.</p><p>Put your faith in the Dungeon Finder, give it some time to run you through the queue and you might even like the outcome once your party teams up.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/Online/cataclysm/wowtown.jpg" width="620" height="348" /></p><p>&nbsp;</p><h3>Additional Towns</h3><p>Strangely enough, one side effect of a thrashing dragon that shattered half the continent of Azeroth as it tore through the crust of the earth and went on a fiery winged joyride, was it helped the real estate market for some reason. In short, there are more towns to explore, the flight paths are within a closer proximity and it’s less of a chore to find an inn to settle into if you don’t want to warp to your home town with your hearthstone. Use this to your advantage, explore a bit, and enjoy the fact that there are more flight paths to pick up along your travels and that it’s easier to get around in the long run.</p><p>No one ever lamented that a subway system had too many convenient stops around a city, so enjoy what’s there and enjoy the additional quests, as the variety of choices comes in handy if you’re leveling up and you’d like to take on a more enjoyable quest as you work your way up.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/Online/cataclysm/nomoreammo.jpg" width="620" height="496" /></p><p>&nbsp;</p><h3>No More Ammo</h3><p>This one caught me off guard, but it's actually a really <em>good </em>thing. The Cataclysm expansion pack removes the need for ammunition, meaning that the old ammo sack your character is always carrying around now had to have its ammo destroyed and the sack sold. But&nbsp; <em>now, </em>your character has unlimited ammo for their guns or bows.</p><p>Get used to it, enjoy it and remember that you can use the extra slot for anything else you want to carry.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/Online/cataclysm/talenttree.jpg" width="620" height="418" /></p><p>&nbsp;</p><h3>Dual Spec Your Heart Out</h3><p>It takes a fair amount of work, but it’s worth it if you can pull it off. Cataclysm allows for dual specializations wherein a character can build up one skill tree, then work on an additional skill tree and use these abilities as well. While this takes time, the end result is pretty impressive. Your character will be able to switch specializations at the drop of a hat. For example, you could be a healing priest that transforms into a walking death machine in the middle of a dungeon or raid. If you’ve saved up for dual specializations, purchased the ability and worked on the skill tree, this is possible and can prove invaluable to a group in a pinch.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="/files/u307916/2011/Online/cataclysm/mounts.jpg" width="620" height="387" /></p><p>&nbsp;</p><h3>Mounts (and Pets) For Everyone!!!</h3><p>You can now get a pet at level one and a mount at level 20, though this caused a bit of a fuss with the old-guard World of Warcraft player community that remembers having to grind up to level 40 to get their first mount...and they also had to walk through six feet of snow to get to school...and it was uphill in both directions.</p><p>Still, it’s now cheap and easy to get a mount or a pet via the Cataclysm expansion pack, so look into this, take advantage of it and make the most of the much faster speed and reduced frustration this affords you.&nbsp;</p><p>Finally, the Cataclysm expansion allows for the use of flying mounts on the Azeroth continent, which is beyond cool and that much faster. Save up, snag one and yes, it WILL allow you to be among the coolest kids on the block…</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h3>The Last Word</h3><p>For the first time in a long time, World of Warcraft feels almost completely new again, the Cataclysm expansion pack having both breathed some life back into something very familiar as well as given it an incredible shot in the arm via new races, new possibilities and new content. Blizzard has learned a lot in six years of World of Warcraft and it shows through the game’s implementations as well as its increased approachability. Take a look around, see what’s there and have fun.</p><p>And whatever side you choose for PVP (Alliance or Horde), may the best faction win.&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/features/world_warcraft_how_conquer_azeroth_cataclysm_expansion_pack#commentsCataclysmexpansiongnomesGoblinsmountsqueststrategy guideTuarenundeadWorgenWorld of WarcraftFeaturesGamesThu, 16 Dec 2010 21:12:34 +0000Chris Barylick9240 at http://www.maclife.comWorld of Warcraft: Cataclysm Reviewhttp://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/world_warcraft_cataclysm_review
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u53/cataclysm8.png" width="620" height="496" /></p><p>Six years after its release on the Mac OS X and Windows platforms, World of Warcraft, the most popular massively multiplayer online role playing game of all time, needed a shot in the arm to make a familiar thing seem new again.<br /><br />With the release of the Cataclysm expansion pack, this has been delivered. The expansion, which centers around the return of the dragon Deathwing, opens with a beautiful, cinematic scene of Deathwing tearing loose from an underground prison to soar across the world of Azeroth, creating a sweeping cataclysm that both destroys and reshapes familiar territories across the game world. As a result of this, longstanding politics, allegiances and storylines have undergone radical changes within the game as well.</p><p><img src="/files/u53/cataclysm10.png" width="620" height="496" /></p><p><strong>Taking down a stone monster is everyone’s job, so hop right in.</strong></p><p><br />It’s the changes that make all the difference. Beyond graphical and sound improvements (textures and shaders have been improved and the game’s water surfaces now look stunning), the developers have raised the level cap from 80 to 85, as well as thrown in an incredible array of new quests, skills, professions, dungeons, storylines and content for veteran players to work with. Blizzard has also thrown in new races to play with, including werewolf-like creatures known as the Worgen on the Alliance side, and Goblins for the Horde.</p><p>With the exception of the higher level zones (Outland and Northrend), the rest of the world of Azeroth has been entirely overhauled. Players can expect to see the Orc capital city of Orgrimmar now residing in a crater and the Alliance capital city of Stormwind partially leveled. The game’s storylines have also been altered in interesting new ways and many of the main quests have been reworked with new goals.</p><p><img src="/files/u53/cataclysm5.png" width="620" height="496" /></p><p><strong>It takes a dapper werewolf to don a top hat...</strong></p><p>Blizzard has also lifted access to previously locked-off professions. For the first time, you can now combine your favorite race with the classes you’ve been hankering for. For example, you can now play as Tauren Paladins, Gnome Priests and Undead Hunters. This opens up a world of possibilities and keeps the die-hard fans happy while offering something genuinely interesting to players who like to mix and match their characters, seeing what they can do with different combinations and what this can open up for them.</p><p>In the past, creating a new character might have felt familiar, but became more of a chore than a journey. Cataclysm has taken a different approach to this, offering a better tutorial system with cut scenes interspersed throughout and introductory movies providing essential information for playing with new races such as the Goblins and the Worgen. This functions act as a combination of both an improved tutorial system and storytelling.</p><p>The Cataclysm expainsion also excels in perpetuating that highly social element of MMORPGs. Tools like the Dungeon Finder make it easy to state which dungeon you’d like to run through to other players and designate which role you’d like to play in the party (tank, healer, etc.), and there's a search engine that offers an estimate as to how much time it’ll take to find that one item you’re looking for. With this criteria, the game can then assemble the party, warp them to the beginning of the dungeon and let you work through the raid. In years past, a player might have had to contact friends and nearby players if they wanted to take on a dungeon, cajole them into forming a group and then try to keep the group organized. But the Dungeon Finder handles most of the workload over the course of a few minutes. The end result is a more organized group that genuinely wants to play, with players knowing their roles.</p><p>Finally, Blizzard did some housecleaning and it shows. A few fairly radical changes have emerged in the skill and talent trees and how points are distributed among these areas. Players now gain talent points at every other level rather than at every level and can build and focus on dual specializations for later use in the game. For example, a healing priest can switch over to dark magic and vice versa. Other changes, like the inclusion of infinite ammo--you no longer have to carry an ammo sack or purchase bullets or arrows for later use-- also come in handy, even if it is a tad bit jarring to discover these changes for the first time.<br /><br /><strong>The bottom line</strong>. Blizzard has undergone an extremely ambitious effort with the Cataclysm expansion, razing the familiar to the ground and building something that proves both new and inviting. And while certain balance issues are being ironed out via patches, there’s something good to be had here for new players, veterans, hardcore and casual gamers alike.<br /><br /><br /><br /></p><p>&nbsp;</p><fieldset class="fieldgroup group-the-bottom-line"><legend>Review Synopsis</legend><div class="field field-type-text field-field-product">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Product:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
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<!--paging_filter--><p>World of Warcraft: Cataclysm</p> </div>
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<div class="field field-type-text field-field-company">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Company:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
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<div class="field-item odd">
Blizzard Entertainment </div>
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</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-contact">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Contact:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
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<!--paging_filter--><p>www.worldofwarcraft.com</p> </div>
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<div class="field field-type-text field-field-price">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Price:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
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<div class="field-item odd">
$39.99; $14.99/month subscription fee </div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-type-text field-field-requirements">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Requirements:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>Intel-based processor, Mac OS 10.5.8 or later, 2GB of RAM, 64MB OpenGL-compatible video card, 25GB free disk space</p> </div>
</div>
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<div class="field field-type-text field-field-positives">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Positives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>Amazing revamp of a familiar title, great new zones, content, missions, storylines and character types to explore. New start zones make initial missions easier/more inviting to new players while improved social tools make group gathering and management much easier for longer missions</p> </div>
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<div class="field field-type-text field-field-negatives">
<div class="field-label"><p><strong>Negatives:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div>
<div class="field-items">
<div class="field-item odd">
<!--paging_filter--><p>Some balance issues still being ironed out; almost nothing can prevent solo gameplay/grinding from feeling like a chore</p> </div>
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</fieldset>
http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/world_warcraft_cataclysm_review#commentsReviewsexpansion packsgame reviewsmac gamesWorld of Warcraftworld of warcraft cataclysmGamesThu, 16 Dec 2010 00:54:00 +0000Chris Barylick9241 at http://www.maclife.comBlizzard Releases Beta Version of its Remote Auction House for the iPhonehttp://www.maclife.com/article/news/blizzard_releases_beta_version_its_remote_auction_house_iphone
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u53/wow.jpg" width="150" height="150" class="graphic-left" />So, you love your level 75 Human Rogue, but you just can't see to find enough time to head over to the auction house at Ironforge to get yourself that lovely coat of armor you've been coveting all this time? Fortunately for you, Blizzard has released all the juicy details about the Remote Auction House functionality of the Mobile Armory app. However, it only works for a tiny number of World of Warcraft servers because it's still in beta. <br /><br />Mobile Armory requires a WoW Battle.net account and an active subscription. However, this little app is pretty full-featured, as it allows you to buy items from the in-game auction house as well as sell any items from you character's bags, bank or mailbox and manage your gold. Transactions are limited to 25 total a day and get real-time notifications on your items. <a href="http://toucharcade.com/link/http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=321057000&amp;mt=8" target="_blank">Check it out for yourself</a> [iTunes link]. <br /><br />Via <a href="http://toucharcade.com/2010/05/19/blizzard-updates-mobile-armory-to-include-beta-test-of-world-of-warcraft-remote-auction-house/" target="_blank">TouchArcade</a></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/news/blizzard_releases_beta_version_its_remote_auction_house_iphone#commentsNewsAppsgamesiPhone appsvideo gamesWorld of WarcraftwowThu, 20 May 2010 16:49:57 +0000Florence Ion6967 at http://www.maclife.comWorld of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich Kinghttp://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/world_warcraft_wrath_lich_king
<!--paging_filter--><p><a class="thickbox" href="/files/u18/wotlk9-big.jpg"><img src="/files/u18/wotlk9.jpg" width="380" height="238" /></a><br /><strong>Say hello to my little Death Knight friend. (Click to embiggen!)</strong></p><p>Four years ago, Blizzard Entertainment released World of Warcraft, one of the most absorbing, in-depth massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG) to ever hit the market—it currently boasts a subscriber base of more than 9 million players. Now the company is casting more magic with Wrath of the Lich King, the second expansion pack for the ever-growing fantasy universe.</p><p>Like the first expansion, Wrath of the Lich King (WOTLK) adds a new continent (Northrend) to explore, and it raises the level cap from 70 to 80. But that’s not all—WOTLK also introduces the playable Hero class, player-controlled flying mounts, a new Inscription profession, new mission and quest content, and even an improved graphics engine.</p><p><img src="/files/u18/wotlk3.jpg" width="380" height="281" /></p><p>The highly anticipated Hero-class characters function as exceptionally powerful hybrids of previously available classes. The Death Knight, the first of this class, combines the damage-absorption of a warrior capable of wearing full platemail armor with elements of a magic-user through their ability to summon pets, raise armies of the undead to fight on their side, and use sigils to boost their own magic or fellow party members’.</p><p><img src="/files/u18/wotlk11.jpg" width="380" height="281" /></p><p>Professions matter in World of Warcraft, and the new Inscription role in WOTLK doesn’t let players down. While a fireball spell was once considered powerful, players who take on the Inscription profession (known as Scribes) can use Glyph slots to add features such as a knockdown or daze effect to a spell or ability. This adds yet another layer of complexity, letting players customize the game to their style.</p><p>Some companies’ expansion packs contain little else but some new levels, items, and maps, but Blizzard goes futher:</p><p>WOTLK’s improved graphics engine augments the game’s flame and water effects and heightens the detail in the shadows to create stunning new environments. Plus, a terrific sound system makes the game and its storytelling elements as immersive as ever.</p><p>The terrain looks more realistic, and the overall scale of the game is heigtened—especially when you're routinely killing fairly gigantic enemies. Blizzard has put some top-notch work into the models, and the engine carries it over, adding some incredible detail without appreciably slowing the computer down. (We tested WOTLK on a 2.66GHz quad-core Mac Pro with 2GB of RAM and a 256MB Nvidia GeForce 7300 GT.)</p><p><img src="/files/u18/wotlk13.jpg" width="380" height="227" /></p><p>The team-play aspects keep World of Warcraft interesting, and WOTLK brings additional 10-man content that makes it easy to gather a large, but still manageable, team to raid a dungeon, while coordinated guild play makes it fun to take down the most challenging quests. Our guild enjoyed dressing up in a Murloc suit (think of a weird anthropomorphic fish), and another tongue-in-cheek quest has you collecting ingredients to make Tasty Cupcakes to boost your stats and stamina.&nbsp;</p><p>But this is Azeroth, not Utopia, and so we found a few bugs too. While it’s convenient, the in-game voice chat system lags, which forced us to use alternative methods like Skype, Ventrilo, or iChat. The new Death Knight character’s strengths and weaknesses are strangely balanced, making it tough to figure out how to best customize it to your advantage. Still, overall Blizzard’s latest expansion is beautiful, imaginative, well thought-out, and challenging.</p><p><em>Chris Barylick would like to thank the fellow members of Team Awesome Force – Rachel Hoyer, Eli Sarver, Monika Grigore and Kimberly Hernandez – for their help in testing Wrath of the Lich King, and he apologizes for the sleep lost and caffeine ingested in the process.</em></p>http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/world_warcraft_wrath_lich_king#commentsReviewsBlizzardGamesgamesMMORPGSoftwareWorld of WarcraftGamesMon, 17 Nov 2008 23:16:02 +0000Chris Barylick3394 at http://www.maclife.comLatest World of Warcraft Expansion Pack Promises to Steal All Your Precious Timehttp://www.maclife.com/article/play/latest_world_warcraft_expansion_pack_promises_steal_all_your_precious_time
<!--paging_filter--><p><img src="/files/u32/1112_WOW_100.jpg" alt="wow" width="100" height="143" class="graphic-right" />If you thought standing in line for the newest iPhone was bad, the latest expansion to the incredibly popular <a href="http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/wrath/index.xml" target="_blank">World of Warcraft MMORPG</a>, <em>Wrath of the Lich King</em> is being released tonight at midnight. <br /><br />For WoW fans this means your chances of seeing sunshine before the middle of next year are pretty slim. For spouses and friends of these souls, remember to approach with caution and to pepper your dialogue with terms like Azeroth, the horde, leveling up, siege and Night Elf. Analysts speculate pizza and Hot Pocket stock will rise, and Red Bull will become the new national drink. <br /><br />Gamestop has already approved 3000 stores to open in local malls across the country at midnight and is calling it the "Lunar Event." Rumors have surfaced that 7-11 has broken street date and that you can pick up the expansion pack with a delicious Slurpee. <br /><br />Wrath of the Lich King content includes<br /><br />- Master the necromantic powers of the Death Knight - World of Warcraft's first Hero class.<br />- Quest to level 80, gaining potent new abilities and talents along the way.<br />- Learn the craft of spell augmentation with the new Inscription profession.<br />- Brave the harsh new continent of Northrend, the icy domain of the Lich King.<br />- Engage in epic siege warfare, deploying mighty siege engines to lay waste to destructible buildings in your path.<br />- Transform your hero's look with new character-customization options, including new hairstyles and dances.<br />- Explore perilous new dungeons filled with some of the deadliest creatures -- and greatest treasures -- on Azeroth.<br /><br />Along with the regular expansion pack, hardcore World of Warcraft fiends can purchase the Collectors edition. On the expansion pack gamers can expect these features;<br /><br />- World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King on DVD-ROM.<br />- The Art of World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, a 208-page book featuring never-before-seen images from the game.<br />- An exclusive in-game pet: Frosty, the baby frost wyrm.<br />- A behind-the-scenes DVD containing over an hour of developer interviews, the Wrath of the Lich King intro cinematic with director's commentary, and more.<br />- The official soundtrack CD, containing 21 epic tracks from the game, along with exclusive bonus tracks.<br />- A mouse pad featuring a map of the newly opened continent of Northrend.<br />- Two World of Warcraft Trading Card Game March of the Legion™ starter decks, along with two exclusive cards available only in the Collector's Edition.<br /><br />World of Warcraft is available for Mac and PC November 13.</p>http://www.maclife.com/article/play/latest_world_warcraft_expansion_pack_promises_steal_all_your_precious_time#commentsNewsMMORPGWorld of WarcraftGamesThu, 13 Nov 2008 01:52:01 +0000John Pitko3364 at http://www.maclife.com